Riches to Rags
by catholicorprotestant
Summary: Roma Vargas lives a lavish life as a son of a wealthy, powerful businessman. But life changes. Even the rich can be poor. Part of the Unexpected series. One shot


**_Okay, so I felt really compelled to write some background for Roma in the Unexpected series, so here ya go. Annalisa is an OC. So it's Roma's dad. This takes place in the 1990's, so they were still using the lira in Italy until 2002 according to my research._**

* * *

Sunlight danced in auburn hair, golden green eyes twinkled with life. Soft touches. Lingering kisses. Breathless gasps. Smooth, velvet skin. The damp, muskiness of sweat filled the air of the small attic. I love you's were exchanged desperately. And then as soon as it had begun, it seemed to end.

Annalisa bit her lip as the stared up at the slanted roof. Roma held her in his arms waiting. The girl didn't say anything at first. She offered a smile and kissed him. They silently dressed before leaving the space and wandering down the hall hand in hand. Anna kept giggling and hugging her boyfriend.

Their footsteps sounded on the marble floors, resonating through the Vargas Estate. Large windows let the sun pour into the mansion. The smell of an endless assortment of flowers and spices met their noses as they made their way to the front door. Roma let the housekeeper know he'd be back after he walked Annalisa home.

Roma watched as Annalisa skipped through the fields of their small village outside of Florence. She picked a few flowers and put them in Roma's dark brown hair. He smiled at her and pulled her close, kissing her cherry red lips. She was perfect in every way. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him deeper. He spun her around.

In his sixteen years, he had been with numerous amounts of girls, much to his father's disdain. It wasn't great for his father's reputation to have his son sleeping with half of the girls. Yet, he'd never felt the butterflies and the giddiness he'd felt with Annalisa. When he said goodbye, his heart longed for just one more second of those eyes. His ears begged to hear her laugh just once more. His eyes craved a flash of that warm mischievous, yet innocent smile. His lips tingled with want for her lips once more. He wasn't sure if he believed in love, but if love existed, this was the closest there was.

"I love you, Roma Vargas," the girl whispered in his ear.

"I love you too, Annalisa Portelli.

* * *

Roma sat at the table pushing his food around a few months later as his father talked about his business. Roma really couldn't care less. He'd always found the family business to be mundane and boring. While he was expected to graduate and work under his father until he retired and took over, Roma had no interest in it. He'd do it like a good son, like a Vargas as his father put it. His head was too filled with Annalisa.

"Romano, are you listening to me?" his father growled.

"Yes, Papa," Roma lied.

"You need to know these things. You'll be taking over the family business. Push those notions of your whores out of your mind. You'll have time for that once you've earned your place."

"Anna is not a whore, Papa," the teen glared.

"She's just a fling. You'll get tired of fucking her and then you'll move on. Now about the business…"

Roma's mind wandered away. He'd never get tired of Annalisa. He was going to marry her. He'd do the right thing. He wouldn't let her go through it on her own. He couldn't get her tear filled eyes and trembling body as she held up the positive test out of his mind. He should be with her right now.

A knock on the door.

The elder Romano, Roman, Vargas rolled his eyes and made a comment about guests not knowing their place. He called for the maid to get the door and turned his attention back on his son. Roma sipped his wine, a bored expression on his face as his mind raced with giving Annalisa the most perfect wedding. Flowers and white and red wine with chocolate and butterflies.

"It's for the younger, Romano, Roma," the timid woman announced, cursing the family tradition of Romano's.

The attention of the Vargas family turned to a tearful Annalisa. Roma jumped up and immediately went to her, holding her close and kissing her forehead. She whispered to him that her parents found out about the baby. She was disowned, thrown out on the streets. She had been branded a slut. She needed a place to stay until the wedding.

"Baby? Wedding?" Roma's mother gasped.

"Si. Uh, Mama, Papa, I'm going to be a father," Roma squeezed Annalisa's hand and gave her a reassuring smile.

Roma glanced back to the family. His father wasn't looking at him as he ate his food. His mother was confused. His sisters were silent. Roma swallowed and held his breath, not releasing it until his father muttered to not say another word about it and eat, both of them. The dinner was awkward. No one saying a word. All talk of business had gone out the door. It was only once Roma's sister had left the room and the table had been cleared that the boy's father spoke.

"You're getting rid of it," he said intently staring Annalisa in the eye. Roma felt Annalisa's body tense.

"No. No, I…Roma, tell him…" the girl pleaded through her tears.

"Papa, we're keeping the baby. I'm doing the right thing. We're getting married soon. I love Annalisa so much. Please, just let her stay with us for a little while longer. I've already got a nice apartment picked out in Florence. I can carry out the family business from there and we can expand, Papa! I have it all planned out!" Roma smiled.

"You are getting rid of it," the elder Vargas demanded, his voice sharp.

"I'm already fourteen weeks. It's illegal. Nothing's wrong with my child or with me," Anna shook.

"We can arrange something. I'll pay a doctor to do it. Money talks," the man glared.

"No! I am not killing my child!" Annalisa protested, standing up suddenly.

"It's not a child! It can't even live on its own. It's a parasite!" Roman growled.

"No! You're wrong. I'm…I am keeping it. You can't force me."

"SIT DOWN! You are both sixteen. I'm an adult and I'll tell you what's going to happen. I'll pay a doctor off. You'll get rid of it. If a doctor doesn't agree, I'll find someone who knows how to do it. Since your parents threw you out like the whore you are, I'll set you up with a nice place in Venice. I'll pay you five thousand lira a month to keep out of our lives. Roma, you will finish school. You won't busy yourself with silly things any longer. I forbid you from seeing this slut. You will work under me. No more scandals!" the man growled.

"I want to keep them…" Anna whispered.

"No! Papa, you can't do this! I will marry Annalisa. We will moved to Florence and we will have our child. I'll do that whether you like it or not!" Roma shouted unable to keep silent any longer. He hugged Annalisa to him while she sobbed.

"I will not have you working for me under these circumstance! I will not deal with another scandal because of you!" Roman growled, narrowing his eyes at his son.

"I don't give a damn about the family business! I want to be a baker! I want to have a nice shop with pastries and coffees and teas. I'll start my own place," Roma hissed.

"Go to sleep," Roman dismissed them.

Roma slept soundly that night as he held his Annalisa.

* * *

Birds were chirping. The sun was shining. Children were giggling outside. Roma opened his eyes and smiled at the beauty in his arms. Her shirt had pushed up slightly, revealing the small bump of their child. He kissed it good morning and smiled up at Annalisa who had just blinked her eyes open.

"Good morning, my love," Roma smiled kissing her.

"Good morning," she smiled back.

The two dressed and walked to the living room with a few suitcases packed. Roman sat on the sofa, a smile on his face. Roma felt a sinking feeling in his stomach.

"Good morning. Going somewhere?" Roman asked coyly.

"Yes. We're going to Florence early. We'll get married there," Roma answered.

"How will you get there? Where will you stay? With what money? Do you have a job?" Roman's voice was filled with mocking laughter.

"In my car. I told you we have an apartment in Florence. I have a trust fund with a million lira in it. I'll use that to open a bakery. Tourists will eat it up. A cute little bakery?" he smiled at Annalisa.

"Oh, really?" Roman stood.

"See because I thought I sold that car this morning? And that apartment? It's got a new tenant. Trust fund?" Roman laughed and took a sip of his coffee. "Trust funds are for my children."

"What?" Roma asked feeling as though someone had just slapped him.

"You either ditch the whore or you have nothing. You don't exist."

"F-Fine," Roma stammered. "I'll just get a job somewhere."

"Where? I'm a very powerful man, Romano. My arms stretch across Western Europe. Nobody would dare hire either one of you. Not now. I've sent out the alerts. You'll wind up in jail if you try. Go ahead if you think I'm joking. I get what I want."

* * *

Roma took the plane tickets from his eldest sister, Rosella, wiping the tears from his face and hugging her tightly. She handed him an envelope of cash. She's managed to pull out fifty thousand liras to give to him.

"Grazie, sorella, grazie!" Roma sobbed.

His father had been right. Nobody dared talk to them let alone give them a job or rent. They'd been staying secretly with Rosella and her husband the past three months. She'd decided to help them out and forfeited her vacation to America to give them a chance. For that the young couple was eternally grateful.

Rosella hugged Annalisa. Anna held her protruding belly protectively. She hadn't dared to a doctor since the day they'd been given the ultimatum. Nobody was getting rid of her baby. Soon they'd be in a new country. Rosella had arranged everything. Permanent visas, tickets, starting money. It'd be so perfect. A final boarding call and Roma took Annalisa's hand and hugged his sister for the last time before leaving his beloved Italy.

Roma had to open a shop. That was all he could do. He beat himself up every day for slacking off in school and not truly studying English. He cheated his way through class. He lived in Italy, never planned to leave. He knew he'd be in the family business and English was not a requirement. Why would he learn? To help tourists? His attitude seemed so silly now as he tried to find a way in the American city they'd been dropped in.

The house was tiny. Barely room to live, but he promised Annalisa they'd once again live the lavished lives they had been accustomed to back home. They had little left over after the house and shop space. Roma promised he'd save up enough to get them out of the hell hole they lived in, but for the time being, it was all they could afford. Police sirens were heard at all hours. Drugs were being sold left and right. Cars broken into. They installed bars and extra locks to stay safe.

Roma promised. He'd never break that promise.

* * *

Annalisa held her stomach and whimpered as she breathed through the pain. It'd been three days since the first contraction. Now they were getting stronger, closer together, more intense. Roma rubbed her back. Maybe he should stay home today. She needed to go to the hospital, but she refused. They couldn't afford a hospital bill. Roma knew it, but still…

"Maybe you'll be a papa when you get home," Annalisa smiled, brushing away a tear.

"You need to go to the hospital," he whispered blinking back tears. "If something happens to you…"

"Don't worry. Women have been giving birth for centuries. Just go to work and don't worry, okay? We'll be okay. I love you." She kissed him and he left reluctantly leaving her to the process.

Annalisa forced herself to go to the store. She had five dollars for dinner and she needed to cook to get her mind off the pain. It took her longer as she had to keep stopping to breathe. She could do this. All of this. The ride home was the hardest. She worried she wouldn't get home before her baby started to push out of her. She held the bar of the seat in front of her and breathed as tears poured down her face.

"Are you alright?" a woman asked, sitting next to her, rubbing her back. Anna nodded. "Do you need to go to the hospital?"

"N-No," she breathed, gritting her teeth. "In labor. Can do myself," she didn't have the strength or energy to concentrate on grammar. She'd never down well in the subject. Her head had always been in faraway lands, daydreaming.

"Oh dear, then you need to go to the hospital," she said alarmed.

"No! Por favore, no," she shook her head. "I can't. No money. Home."

"I'm a midwife. I'll go with you. I won't charge you, but you need someone with you in case something goes wrong. Where do you live?"

Annalisa shook her head. She didn't understand. God, she just wanted to go home. It hurt so much. She glanced up and saw her stop coming. The woman helped her along. Annalisa didn't even have courage to protest. She unlocked the door and held her hand up to the woman.

"Grazie," she started to close the door, but the woman stopped her.

"I don't know Italian. I know Spanish. It's similar, right?" Annalisa whimpered and shrugged. She didn't have time for this. _"My name is Maria. I am a midwife. I know how to deliver babies. I want to help you for free." _

Annalisa let out a cry and crouched down. She'd understood a bit more and nodded. She didn't want to be alone. The woman brought towels and instructed her that she was going to check her. The girl nodded and whimpered when she felt herself being entered.

"How old are you? You look so young," Maria asked softly trying to distract the girl.

"Sixteen. So is my husband. He's almost seventeen." Maria nodded and sat back.

"Your baby is coming," Maria told her, "but they're not in the proper position. They are breach. I'm going to help you. It's very important."

Annalisa nodded, trembling. She followed the woman's instructions as she sobbed and moaned and screamed. Never had she felt this pain. But after what felt like forever, Maria smiled at her as a baby's cries were heard.

"It's a baby boy," she smiled.

Annalisa held the bloodied baby wrapped it towels as Maria finished up. He was perfect. Maria showed her how to nurse him and was cleaning up when Roma walked in. He dropped his bags and stared at the bloodied towels and the sleeping child suckling on its mother's breast.

"Anna…are you okay?" he asked rushing to her side.

"Yes. This is Maria. She helped me. We have a boy," she smiled through her tears.

"Grazie! Thank you!" Roma hugged Maria and handed her some cash. She shook her head and pushed it back to him. Roma's eyes fell do the ground and he dropped to his knees to inspect the child. He looked just like Annalisa. Roma brushed a tear off his cheek.

"I like Lovino," Annalisa smiled.

"Romano Lovino Vargas," Roma smiled. "We'll call him Lovino, or Lovi for short." He laughed delighted.

"I don't want him to be named after your father," Annalisa whispered.

"He's not. He's named after me." Anna smiled and kissed Roma.

"Promise me that if he ends up in this situation, you never become your father. Don't become him ever. No matter what, be Roma Vargas, the boy I fell in love with.

"I promise," Roma breathed taking the child.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

* * *

Annalisa held her newborn baby, Feliciano, nursing him as her stomach growled. She'd given birth to him only three weeks prior at home. Maria had kept in contact. It'd gone smoother. Maria had even done ultrasounds. The baby was always smiling, a happy little thing. And he was perfect. Just as perfect as Lovino.

No matter how much Roma saved and no matter how much Annalisa tried to nourish Lovino would breastmilk in addition to the small amount of food they had, nothing helped their savings grow. With two children, Anna worried. She watched Lovino coloring on the floor. He kept looking at her with his big golden green eyes that mirrored hers only with much more innocence.

"Mama?" he asked softly as he put his crayons down and climbed onto the couch.

"Yes, little sparrow?"

"When's my turn? My tummy hurts and Feli's eating it all," Lovino's eyes fell to the infant. Anna wanted to cry.

"Soon, my love, soon," she hugged him close.

"Is there more food?"

"No."

"I'm really hungry though," the four year old cried, a few tears falling down his face.

"I know, baby, I know." She hugged him, her heart aching as he cried against her that his tummy hurt. She bit her lip and glanced down at the infant. He wouldn't eat on both sides just yet and she was producing enough for Lovino's needs. "Here, Lovi."

She held out an arm. The child smiled and curled in her lap as he started sucking hungrily. She let out a sigh of relief. She and Roma may be almost constantly hungry, but at least their babies would have full little tummies. She couldn't bare the idea of them going to bed hungry. She hoped and prayed that Roma's store would make bigger profits soon before they were much too old to breastfeed. She questioned so often if it was appropriate to still feed Lovino this way, but the alternative broke her heart. She kissed his head and sang him his favorite lullaby while she rubbed his back.

* * *

"Mama!" Feliciano cried from the table. She pushed back her hair and picked him up before going back to cooking. "My tummy hurts, Mama!"

"Mine too…" Lovino mumbled as he sat at the table to doing his math homework. She was so surprised a first grader had homework.

"I'm cooking dinner and we can eat, okay?" Annalisa asked, bouncing the three year old in her arms gently.

"No! My tummy hurts!" he cried.

She set him down and rubbed her face before looking in the refrigerator. She spotted a tomato she'd been saving for sauce and bit her lip before taking it out and cutting it into slices. She gave half to each of the boys. Lovino handed her his homework in exchange, asking her to check it for him. She set it on the counter and rubbed her eyes. She was getting headaches more often these days. She figured from stress.

"I thought you were on a holiday," she said to him.

"I am, but I'm bored and I wanted to do math. If I finish all the problems, then I can read more!" Lovino smiled, juice dribbling down his face. She smiled and wiped his mouth off, doing the same to Feli.

"Aren't you such a smart little boy!" she smiled and kissed his forehead and ruffled his hair. "After you two finish eating, Lovino, I want you to teach your brother some more English words, okay?"

"Okay, Mama."

She went back to cooking, hoping that it would last longer. Food was being spread more and more as the boys got older. She'd stopped breastfeeding Lovino, but used the pump Maria had given her to give him milk. They couldn't afford to get cow's milk and it was the best for him, right?

The boys had finished eating and had gone to their bedroom for Lovino to teach Feliciano. Annalisa hummed and finished the food. She glanced outside and noticed one of her plants was looking a little wilted. She loved picking flowers around the area during different seasons and letting the seeds make new plants that she decorated the back porch with. She filled a cup with water and went outside to water the plant. She climbed on the small stool and suddenly felt dizzy. Everything went black.

"Mama? Mama! Mama!" Feliciano was screaming.

"Papa, Mama's hurt! Papa, hurry!" she heard Lovino crying.

She opened her eyes and pulled Feliciano into her arms hugging him. She stood up, brushing Roma away. He was holding Lovino in his arms as the boy cried. She smiled and hugged her seven year old.

"I'm okay, Lovi!" she smiled.

"Anna, you're bleeding…" Roma mumbled brushing blood off the side of her head. "I should take you to the doctor."

"I'm okay. I just got a little dizzy. I haven't eaten today and I've been feeding the boys. It's nothing. I promise," Annalisa kissed Roma and smiled. "Let's go eat, okay?"

Anna continued to feel dizzy as they ate. Her headache was becoming splitting. Her vision kept getting black spots and sometimes went into double vision. It'd be okay. She listened to Lovino talk to her about the book he was reading and let him read to her, Feli and Roma as they cuddled on the couch. She breastfed Feliciano to ease his hunger pains and gave Lovino a glass of milk. She was so tired by the time she tucked them into bed. She kissed them good night, told them she loved them and to be good so Santa would come before going to bed and cuddling with Roma before the darkness took her.

* * *

"Mama! Papa! Mama! Papa!" Feliciano and Lovino giggled as they ran into their parents' bedroom eager for what Santa had brought them. Roma sat up with a smile and hugged Feliciano. Lovino laughed.

"Mama's a sleepy head," he smiled. He shook her and frowned when she didn't wake up. "Papa, Mama's not waking up…" his voice was small.

Roma stood up and set Feliciano on the ground. He told Lovino to take Feli to their room in an urgent tone. Lovino protested asking what was wrong. Roma ignored him and just stared at Annalisa who he'd just turned over. Blood. Blood was everywhere.

"Papa…" Lovino whimpered through tears, hugging Feli's face into his stomach to shield him from the sight.

"Goddammit, Lovino, I told you to get Feli out of here!" Roma shouted, instantly regretting it as Lovino flinched and began to sob.

Lovino pulled a protesting Feliciano behind him as he left the room. Roma knew Lovino was old enough to know this was bad. He tapped Anna's face, begging for her to wake up. She was cold. He checked her pulse and cursed, calling her name over and over. He hugged her and rocked back and forth as he sobbed. She was gone. The world was darker. What would he do?

Black child size funeral suits. Something that should never had been made, especially not for the death of their mother. She was twenty-four. You just didn't die in your sleep at twenty-four. The cold bit at Roma's body, but he didn't feel it. He hadn't said a word in the week since Annalisa had died. He stood in the church holding Feliciano who was crying.

"I want Mama!" he repeated.

Lovino was sitting in the pew hugging his knees as tears streamed down his face that was half covered by his arms. A priest fluent in Italian sat next to him, talking and helping him understand. People were giving condolences to Roma, but he never thanked them. He just nodded, his eyes fixed on Lovino's small figure. His heart was heavy.

People were telling him they'd bring food by the house. Roma nodded hugging his youngest son to him. He was selling the store. It was the only way to keep from going into debt, to keep Annalisa from going into an unmarked grave. What was he going to do for work? What was he going to do with his boys? They couldn't be left alone.

He excused himself and walked over to Lovino. He sat down set Feli down. He instantly ran to where some other kids were playing and started giggling and having fun. Lovino made a rude comment about him. Roma explained that Feli was too young to understand. Lovino wiped his tears and glared at his shoes.

"Father, I need to ask you something. I…I don't have anyone to look after the boys while I'm at work. I'll need to start looking for something else since I had to sell the shop to pay for this. I've used all my saving and earnings. I need help."

"The boys can stay here while you're away, Roma. Don't worry. Do you need any help with food? Lovino and Feliciano have both been saying they're hungry."

"I…Yes," Roma hate himself for not asking sooner. If he'd asked before, Annalisa would have been eating more. She wouldn't have gotten dizzy. She wouldn't have fallen and burst the aneurysm they said ruptured. She'd still be here. Lovino wouldn't have to be figuring out death at seven. Feliciano wouldn't be missing his mommy unable to understand that she wasn't coming back. He wondered if Feliciano would even remember her.

Everything was situated. Feliciano would be dropped off every morning. Lovino would ride the bus after school then Roma would pick them up after work and take them home until Lovino got old enough to watch Feli on his own. They'd help Feliciano learn English just as they'd taught Lovino. Roma was scared of the future.

* * *

"Lovi, I'm hungwy!" Feliciano cried, tears streaming down his face. "Where's Mama? Why is Papa sad?"

Lovino hugged his little brother and wiped the tears of his face, his stomach grumbling as he too thought of how hungry he was. Papa hadn't stopped crying since Mama didn't wake up. He hadn't cooked since Mama was put in the ground. There was food the church members and some people from Papa's work had brought over, but most of it wasn't cooked yet. His heart ached for his mother.

"What do you want to eat?" Lovino asked rolling off the mattress that served as their bed.

"I-I d-d-don't kn-n-now. I'm just hungwy! Lovi, my t-t-tummy huwts so m-much and I want M-mama!"

Lovino watched as his brother thrash on the bed begging for their mother. Feli didn't understand. The child chewed his lip for a moment before taking his brother's hand and leading him down the hall, telling him gently to not be so loud. Ordinarily, Lovino would have been annoyed that his brother was throwing a tantrum, but he was feeling differently. Protective perhaps?

The child glanced into his father's bedroom. Roma was sitting on the bed, his head in his hands as he spoke quickly through his tears. The room was dark. Mama's side of the bed was just as it had been before she died. The pillows were fluffed and stacked and her quilt neatly tucked, waiting for her to climb into slumber next to her husband.

"We have nothing, sorella. Nothing. I have to sell the store to pay for Annalisa's funeral and the medical bills. I have two sons, seven and three. How am I supposed to provide for them adequately? Feliciano was still breastfeeding to supplement his food because we were so tight. I just want to come back to Italy. Please..."

Lovino sucked in his lips and turned back around to smile at Feliciano who was now sucking on his thumb, staring up at his brother with big amber eyes. The boy fixed his little brother's messy hair.

"Papa's busy, so I'll make us food, okay?" he said softly.

"Okay," Feli sniffled.

The boy disappeared for a moment to return with the teddy bear his mother gave him when he was a baby. Lovino smiled gently and pushed a chair to the cupboard to get down a couple plates. He set them down and pushed it to the pantry to find something to eat. Nothing. He huffed and moved it to the refrigerator this time just in case he had to get something off a high shelf. He settled on the rest of a few days old macaroni and cheese. It was the only thing they had. He scooped the plates and set them on the table.

"It's cold!" Feli complained.

"It's pasta. Eat," Lovino muttered softly.

They ate silently, Feliciano chowing down while Lovino poked at it. Feli pushed his plate away and asked for more. "We don't have anymore that I can make."

"But my tummy still hurts!" Feli whimpered.

Lovino glanced down at his plate. His stomach growled. He looked back to his baby brother, teary eyed begging for more food. _This is your baby brother, Feliciano. You have to watch out for him and take care of him. I know you will be great friends one day, passerotto._ The words of his mother rang through his head, his stomach growling again. He pushed his plate to his brother. He'd only managed to eat a few bites, but Feli was younger. He needed the food and he was the big brother. Their mother wanted them to get along, to be friends. She hated how Lovino always found ways to pick on Feli and make him cry. No more of that, Lovino decided.

He got up and pushed the chair back, reaching for the milk. He smiled as it came down easily, not too heavy! He pushed the chair and milk to the stove and crawled down searching for a pan. The child found one and put it on the burner before pouring milk into it. Mama had done it and he'd watched. He could do it. He put the milk into two cups and set one for Feli while he sipped at the other.

Feliciano finished eating and downed his milk before scooting back away from the table, a sleepy look on his face. Lovino narrowed his eyes at the three year old. "Not so fast. Mama likes us to wash our dishes."

"Oh…" Feli looked from Lovino to his place at the table. "I don't know how."

"I'll teach you."

Lovino pushed a chair to the sink and instructed his brother to do the same. They took their dishes and pushed them up before crawling on the chairs. Lovino showed Feli to clean them, getting soap and water everywhere in the process. They put them back in the cupboard before Lovino put Feliciano to bed.

Lovino lay there next to his sleeping brother, concentrating on the rhythmic breathing. It was calming, like the song of the crickets. It was a type of music, he was sure of it. He closed his eyes. Sleep didn't come to the seven year old. He huffed once more and got up. He was worried. Papa hadn't been doing well.

"Papa?"

Lovino entered the room when he saw Roma laying on the bed, silent tears streaming down his face. The boy stood shyly by the door waiting to be allowed to fully enter. Roma sat up on his elbows and forced a smile, wiping the tears from his face.

"Il mio passerotto, come here."

Lovino smiled and almost ran to his father. Roma picked him up in a tight hug. They stayed like that for a moment before his father pulled away. He studied the boy's face. Lovino never understood why his father did that.

"I love you," Roma whispered. "Forever. Everything in me loves you. You are worth everything, okay? Never let anyone tell you that you don't hang the stars at night in my eyes."

"I love you too, Papa." Lovino played with the buttons on Roma's shirt. "Papa, we don't need money to be happy. I heard you tell Zia that. We can be happy. Mama would want us to be happy. She loves us."

"Si...dios, you're just like her." Roma hugged Lovino tightly. "Feliciano has her personality. You look just like her and you have her kind heart. I love you so much."

"Papa, don't cry," Lovino smiled and brushed away his father's tears. "I'll help you. I'm a big brother, right? Mama said big brother's help their baby brothers."

"Oh, is that right?" Roma sniffed.

"Si! He was stupid before, but I think I like him now. It's what Mama wanted."

"Oh, passerotto…" Roma smiled. Lovino cuddled into him.

"I'll sleep in here tonight...if you want...to make sure you're not too sad. Feli is sleeping. I made him hot milk like Mama."

"You're such a big boy. When did you get so big?" Roma asked, his eyes dancing as he talked with his eldest.

"I don't know…" Lovino answered, confused. Roma laughed. It was the first time Lovino heard him laugh in the past two weeks.

* * *

**_Please review!_**


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